Regional planning in the land reform literature: a gap to be bridged

Abstract

This work reviews recent research efforts in the area of land reform in the developing world and comparatively evaluates different planning approaches per country. The historical antecedents, socio-economic circumstances, legal framework and different degrees of governmental intervention influencing the access to land in the countryside are covered. A snapshot of empirical findings in a group of developing countries highlights the need to systematically adopt regional planning strategies that are able to maximise the positive socio-economic impacts of the schemes. It is also concluded that a combination of market and non-market approaches to land reform could be beneficial for developmental purposes.